The leading authority on basketball cupcakes and Basil-Lime martinis…
As part of an early present, Hubby signed us up for a “Knife Skills” class at Whole Foods. We went last week and it was a great class. I also got this: and this (from my BF, Eileen, and her family):
As part of an early present, Hubby signed us up for a “Knife Skills” class at Whole Foods. We went last week and it was a great class.
I also got this:
and this (from my BF, Eileen, and her family):
I’ve been threatening to make a batch of Chai macaroons (macaron), but haven’t been able to. It’s been rainy and wet here and I’m worried about the impact that all of the moisture would have on the meringues. So, I’m waiting for drier weather before I give it a try. I have also ordered some … Continue reading “Chai Spice Seasoning Blend”
I’ve been threatening to make a batch of Chai macaroons (macaron), but haven’t been able to. It’s been rainy and wet here and I’m worried about the impact that all of the moisture would have on the meringues. So, I’m waiting for drier weather before I give it a try. I have also ordered some pistachio extract so that I can give a pistachio version a try (I thought that I would use ground pistacho instead of almond meal and then would use a bit of the pistachio extract in the buttercream), so the macaroon project (thankfully!) is on hold for the moment.
I did, however, want to give you all the recipe for my Chai Spice Seasoning. I’ve noticed quite a few searches for it are directing people to my site (since I have my fancy-dancy new Google Analytics set up) and I don’t want to be a tease, so here it is:
Chai Spice Seasoning Blend
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground mace or nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground coriander seed
a small sprinkle of ground black or white pepper
optional: a little (1/8 tsp?) star anise or anise seed, if you’re willing to go through the trouble to grind it
Mix all of the spices together and store in an airtight container. Add to tea, coffee, any baked goods (especially yummy with chocolate – try it in brownies!). Add a pinch to meringue or whipped cream or sprinkle it in your cereal or over your oatmeal. Try blending it into a sweetened vinaigrette for a great dressing over baby spinach, fruit and nuts. If it’s too “spicy” or exotic for you, feel free to cut back on some of the other spices and bulk up the percentage of cinnamon until your taste buds (or your childrens’) get used to it.
99% of the time, Boy and Girl get along beautifully…. Boy and Girl had a piano class last night that they had to attend together. I dropped them off and told them I’d run an errand or two and would pick them up when the class was over an hour later. I gave them a … Continue reading “But that other 1% really stinks…..”
99% of the time, Boy and Girl get along beautifully….
Boy and Girl had a piano class last night that they had to attend together. I dropped them off and told them I’d run an errand or two and would pick them up when the class was over an hour later. I gave them a mini deck of playing cards (that I ALWAYS have in my purse – you never know when you’re going to meet a Midwesterner who’s dying to play some Euchre!) and told them they could play “War” or something, if I was running a minute or two late or if the class let out early. They were in a great mood and were being perfectly friendly to one another when I dropped them off. An hour later, however, they were sullen and grumpy and climbed into the car while shooting each other dirty looks. Apparently, Girl had been “annoying” (unspecified definition) and so when Girl tried to deal Boy some cards, he didn’t want to play and threw the cards back at her. Of course, I wasn’t there and didn’t hear what happened or what was said, so there was no way that I could settle it (and I really didn’t want to, anyway!), so I just frustratedly suggested that maybe they could remember that they were both human beings and they should treat each other accordingly. I told them that it sounded like they both were not as kind to one another as they could have been and that if either of them felt like they had something to apologize for, this would be a GREAT time to do that, so that we could get on with our pleasant evening. I followed up my “suggestion” with a promising description of building a fire, having a hot meal and cuddling on the sofa together while watching an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. Of course, none of these things would be able to happen if they weren’t getting along and couldn’t settle their argument….
So, this is what they come up with to say to each other:
Boy:
“I’m sorry that I got mad at you when you were being ANNOYING.”
Girl:
“I’m sorry that I got mad at you when you wouldn’t pick up the cards that you threw at me.”
Me:
banging head on steering wheel
I’m still looking for a great, basic, all-purpose lasagna recipe. I saw this one and thought I would give it a try the other day. It was good and was definitely “classic” (I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese), but the sauce wasn’t as rich as I would have liked. If I make this again, … Continue reading “Lasagna, version 2 and Individual Pesto Lasagna Roll-Ups”
I’m still looking for a great, basic, all-purpose lasagna recipe. I saw this one and thought I would give it a try the other day. It was good and was definitely “classic” (I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese), but the sauce wasn’t as rich as I would have liked. If I make this again, I will maybe add a little tomato paste or some balsamic vinegar to give the sauce a little more depth, but this was a good, kid-friendly, basic lasagna. Girl liked it a lot. Boy isn’t a big fan of tomato sauce, so I made him some little individual, pesto-sauced lasagna wraps:
Directions:
Take a cooked lasagna noodle and spread it with a very thin layer of prepared (or store-bought) pesto, just enough to very lightly coat it. Spread a thin layer (2 to 3 Tbsp.) of the ricotta cheese mixture (from the above lasagna recipe) on top of the pesto. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and crumbled, cooked hamburger meat (just reserve a little when you brown the meat for your lasagna, above). Very gently roll the lasagna into a spiral and place it carefully in a small glass or ceramic baking dish. Spread a little more pesto over the top and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese. Bake for the last 15 – 20 minutes of the time that your lasagna is baking, until completely cooked and bubbly (you just want to make sure that the eggs in the ricotta are cooked though). Boy really loved these and had one in his lunch the next day.
Vinaigrettes are simple, versatile, classic and almost universally well-received. There are endless ways to make them. They are limited only by your own creativity. The basic formula that I use is: 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but that’s just a jumping-off point. A tiny bit of … Continue reading “Vinaigrette, a tutorial”
Vinaigrettes are simple, versatile, classic and almost universally well-received. There are endless ways to make them. They are limited only by your own creativity.
The basic formula that I use is: 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, but that’s just a jumping-off point. A tiny bit of something sweet (honey, maple syrup or even plain sugar) is a good flavor balance. Be sure to whisk together all of the liquid ingredients (except the oil) and then VERY slowly pour in the oil, continuously whisking, to thoroughly combine and emulsify the ingredients.
For example:
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard, optional
1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. honey
(depending on how sweet you want the dressing to be – you can substitute sugar if you prefer)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and honey. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continuously whisking, until dressing is thoroughly blended. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
(I make at least one batch of that per week – I can practically make it in my sleep now.)
If you happen to have some puree or coulis (of any sort) on hand, you can use that as a flavoring base to make a specific kind of vinaigrette: roasted red pepper, canned pumpkin, raspberry puree, cranberry sauce, etc. You can adjust the vinegar-sweetener combinations accordingly. Apple cider vinegar is great if you want your finished vinaigrette to have a leaning towards the sweet side. Canola or safflower oil is great if your salad will have a lot of fruit in it (olive oil can be overpowering for a not-too-savory salad) and you want a lighter oil. White balsamic vinegar is great if you want the herby flavor of balsamic, but don’t want to discolor the composition of your salad. Feel free to substitute any vinegar (raspberry? champagne?) or any oil (walnut?) to complement the flavors of your salad ingredients.
Other possible additions:
poppy seeds, minced garlic, ginger (with a bit of soy sauce, chopped peanuts or peanut butter, rice vinegar and peanut oil with a small splash of sesame oil mixed in to give an Asian flavor), chopped fresh (or even dried) herbs, a bit of jam or concentrated fruit juice, toasted nuts, citrus zest, or a bit of freshly-grated parmesan cheese.
Don’t be afraid to be generous with the salt – each portion of the dressing only gets a portion of the salt, so it’s really hard to make it taste too salty (taste it to be sure, of course!). Salt can really add the perfect flavor punch and is really pretty crucial.
I like to store prepared vinaigrette in small, lidded glass jars or bottles. I really like the glass bottles that Starbucks Frappuccino comes in. I don’t drink them, but have a wonderful neighbor that does and she saves them for me (I run them through the dishwasher before using them). They’re the PERFECT size to hold about a cup of dressing (with enough head space for shaking before serving, if it’s been sitting a while and has settled or separated a bit).
Here is the recipe for my pumpkin vinaigrette (everyone that I’ve ever served this to has LOVED it):
Pumpkin Vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
8 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients except the olive oil into a small bowl. Whisk well. Add olive oil and whisk until incorporated. Makes about 1 cup. The full directions for a spectacular fall salad can be found here.
and here is a great recipe for Raspberry Vinaigrette that Girl absolutely LOVES:
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
pinch of salt (I don’t use pepper in this vinaigrette, since it’s meant to be sweeter)
4 Tbsp. raspberry coulis
(the coulis is a bit of a pain to make, but you can use it to garnish desserts also and it will keep nicely in the freezer – ignore the directions about the chocolate sorbet)
I serve this over a salad of baby spinach and apple or mango chunks and girl is in HEAVEN.
Homemade (high fructose corn syrup free) Sloppy Joes 1 15-oz can tomato sauce 1 cup ketchup (high fructose corn syrup free) 1/4 cup chopped white onion 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red or green, whatever you have on hand) 1/2 tsp Baby Bam seasoning 1 – 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp. celery seed 1 … Continue reading “Sloppy Joes, Version 2”
Homemade (high fructose corn syrup free) Sloppy Joes
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup (high fructose corn syrup free)
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red or green, whatever you have on hand)
1/2 tsp Baby Bam seasoning
1 – 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 15-oz can beans (black, kidney, pinto – your choice), drained and rinsed
1 pound ground beef
2 scoops sprouted ground flaxseed (available at Costco)
Brown beef until cooked through. Drain and set aside in a separate bowl or pan. Saute garlic, onion and bell pepper in the pan (using whatever beef fat residue is left in the pan, adding a tiny bit of canola or olive oil, if necessary) until soft. Add beef and all other remaining ingredients back into the pan. Simmer until sauce reaches your desired consistency (10 – 30 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in flaxseed just before serving and simmer 1 to 2 more minutes, until well combined.
If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait for the sauce to thicken, use only half the can of tomato sauce.
Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup sliced or chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped celery 3/4 cup finely chopped white onion 2 pressed or chopped garlic cloves 1 large aseptic box (I use Pacific brand), about 4 cups, chicken broth 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces about 3/4 cup … Continue reading “Chicken-Veggie-Barley Soup”
Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup sliced or chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 pressed or chopped garlic cloves
1 large aseptic box (I use Pacific brand), about 4 cups, chicken broth
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
about 3/4 cup barley
about 1 Tbsp. Baby Bam seasoning
fresh chopped parsley, optional
NB: The barley that I used was NOT the quick-cooking kind, but if that’s the you have on hand or all that you can find, it will still work, just put it into the soup later, following the cooking directions on the package.
Sprinkle the Baby Bam over the chicken and stir to coat. Heat half the olive oil in a very large saucepan or small stockpot. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring and turning constantly, until the chicken pieces are browned on all sides (about 3 minutes?). Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the other half of olive oil to the pan and heat it slightly. Add the veggies to the pan (garlic, onion, celery, carrot) and saute them until soft (about 3 minutes?). Add the the barley and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not allow the barley to change color – you just want it to be warmed through and very lightly coated with oil. Add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the chicken stock. Cook the soup over medium-low heat (keep it just barely simmering) until the chicken is cooked through, the veggies are softened and the barley is tender to the bite (30 – 45 minutes – but less if you use quick-cooking barley).
If you have any of this soup left over, it still tastes great the next day, but the barley will absorb more of the stock as it sits, so it will become thicker and stew-like.
I served this with roasted brussels sprouts.
Boy and Girl both liked this (Hubby was out of town on business that night) and it was great (warm and filling) for the super cold weather we’ve had the last couple of days. I had to take a short break from macaroons, because we’ve had some rain (I think that might adversely impact the meringue), but I will try two more batches soon. Boy has requested pistachio and Girl has requested chai. After that, I’m going to stop with the macaroons, I promise.
Here are the completed, filled chocolate macaroons. I used Martha Stewart’s recipe to make the chocolate meringue cookies, but just happened to have some leftover chocolate ganache in my freezer (doesn’t everyone?), so I used that for the filling, instead of using her version. The recipe that I usually use to make ganache can be … Continue reading “Chocolate French Macaroons, part 2”
Here are the completed, filled chocolate macaroons. I used Martha Stewart’s recipe to make the chocolate meringue cookies, but just happened to have some leftover chocolate ganache in my freezer (doesn’t everyone?), so I used that for the filling, instead of using her version. The recipe that I usually use to make ganache can be found here:
Baking 911 chocolate ganache for piping
Surprise after-school snack for Boy and Girl. They are SO spoiled and don’t even know it. They think it’s perfectly normal to have a tray of homemade French cookies, Cara Cara oranges and cold milk waiting for you in the car when your mom picks you up from school. I hope that they get really good jobs when they’re older, so that they can afford to continue to feed themselves in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed. I’d hate to see them holding up signs someday that says “Will work for artichokes and French cheese.”
The chocolate meringues were definitely the hardest to make and a few of them cracked during baking. These should be refrigerated, like the other ones, but should be pulled out of the refrigerator a few moments before serving to allow the ganache to warm up a little. It’s a little too hard and the flavor is lessened if they are eaten right out of the fridge.
The Boy that lives at our house has an infectious laugh and a riotous (but very silly) sense of humor. He has said (many times) that he would like to be a comedian when he grows up. I would not be at all surprised if he actually did it. He has amazing dimples, big blue … Continue reading “Boy Humor”
The Boy that lives at our house has an infectious laugh and a riotous (but very silly) sense of humor. He has said (many times) that he would like to be a comedian when he grows up. I would not be at all surprised if he actually did it. He has amazing dimples, big blue eyes and his smile lights up a room. I know I’m his mom, but he’s so cute, he makes my heart hurt.
He is also a complete ham. He loves attention; he loves being listened to; he loves making people laugh. I know EXACTLY where his sophomoric sense of humor comes from, too. Hubby has always said that it comes from my side of the family and I must admit that it’s true. My family has never met a scatological joke we didn’t like. We think that this is hilarious:
Nothing gets us giggling like a fart joke. Yes, I realize that admitting all of this makes it pretty apparent that we are not sophisticates, but, oh, well…laughter is good for you, right?
Well, yesterday, Boy’s class put on something called “Magical Musical Moments” and the kids were each allowed a couple of minutes to “perform” a vignette of their choice. Boy and a friend danced and aped and mimicked and lip-synched to “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog”. Boy grabbed the mike and told a few jokes (“Why did the chicken cross the road?”) as he was “introducing” their act. I suppose that I should have been embarrassed: he ended up hogging the microphone and causing the rest of the class to pretty much lose control, to the slight irritation of the music teacher. Instead, though, I was just glad that he ended the joke with “to get to the other side” rather than the version that we usually tell at home: “because the chicken next to him farted”.
This is a bit belated, but we’ve finally finished putting away all of the decorations, so it’s all fairly recent, in my mind….. We really enjoy the festivities, foods and fellowship of the holidays around here. We really get into it and decorate everything that doesn’t move. We put up lots of themed trees: a … Continue reading “Christmas Reflections”
This is a bit belated, but we’ve finally finished putting away all of the decorations, so it’s all fairly recent, in my mind…..
We really enjoy the festivities, foods and fellowship of the holidays around here. We really get into it and decorate everything that doesn’t move. We put up lots of themed trees: a “snowman” tree, a “patriotic” tree, a “Texas” tree, plus our regular “family” tree and a tree for each of the kids in their bedrooms. My favorite, however, is our “tinsel” tree in Hubby’s office. He’s a programmer/techie geek by profession, so I love the modern/tech look of it (albeit a 1964 version of “modern”). I even have the revolving light to shine on it to make it change colors (regular tree lights on these kind of tree would be an electrocution hazard).
My friend, Mary, introduced me to these trees. Their time came and went before I was born, but, apparently, they were big in the early to mid 60s. They are hard to come by these days; I got mine on ebay about 5 years ago, but there may be some companies making reproductions. Mary got hers when her neighbors were clearing out their house: they didn’t want it and had left it on the curb, where Mary very cleverly snapped it up. What I love the best about ours is that the box still has the original shipping label from Billings Hardware in Billings, Montana, to the Elray Motel in Sidney, Montana (mailed on November 30, 1964). A couple of years ago, there was a sci-fi miniseries called “The Lost Room“, starring Peter Krause (from Six Feet Under – a brilliant show). The miniseries centered around the lost contents (“objects”) of an 60s-era abandoned motel room where a man had disappeared. Each of the “objects” (glass eye, bus ticket, comb, etc.) that were originally in the room has a special power (to teleport or cure diseases, for example). It’s a roundabout way for me to get to my point, but every time that we put our tinsel tree up or take it down and I see that “Elray Motel” shipping label, I think that this tree could so be an “object” and wonder what special power it should have.
